Monday, October 31, 2016

The town and civil
parish of Market Bosworth in Leicestershire is most noted in history, and in
popular knowledge, from the Battle of Bosworth, fought in 1485, south of the
town. This article sets out to give another side of Bosworth. The 2001 census
recorded about 1,900 people living in the parish but people have lived in the
area for many thousands of years.

Bronze
Age to Normans

Excavations in the town
and outside have discovered evidence of Bronze Age settlement. A Roman villa
was found on the east of the town. The Anglo-Saxon village of Bosworth dates
from the eight century. At the time of the Norman Conquest there were two
manors in Bosworth and these were both awarded to the Count of Meulan, Robert
de Beaumont, who after the Conquest became 1st Earl of Leicester.[1]

Robert de Beaumont, 4th
Earl of Leicester was the last of his family and when he died in 1204 his vast
estates were divided between his two sisters. One of these sisters, Margaret,
had married Saer de Quincy from Scotland. In 1207 Saer de Quincy became 1st
Earl of Winchester and overlord of Bosworth.[2]

Harcourt
family come to Bosworth

Also to get lands in
England was Errand de Harcourt and his three brothers. By 1191 Robert de
Harcourt was lord of Bosworth which he held of the Beaumont family. In that
year Robert de Harcourt inherited the lands of his father-in-law at Stanton in
Oxfordshire which became known as Stanton Harcourt and the family’s principal
residence. The family still holds Stanton Harcourt to the present day while in
1509 the manor of Bosworth passed to the Grey family.[3] Robert
de Harcourt sometimes attended the court of King John around 1200 and witnessed
a number of royal documents including a number relating to Ireland.[4]

William
de Harcourt in Ireland

In 1210 William de
Harcourt followed his overlord the Earl of Winchester in King John’s invasion
of Ulster and the capture of Carrickfergus Castle. At the time William de
Harcourt was described as a seneschal but seneschal of where was not stated. As
was the custom in medieval wars the aim was to capture hostages for reward
rather than killing as many people as possible. William de Harcourt took Lucian
de Arquill as his prisoner. Lucian de Arquill made a fine with King John for
his release and in February 1212 William de Harcourt was told to release him.
Although it is not stated but it is very possible that William de Harcourt got
money from Lucian or from King John.[5]

In July 1215 William de
Harcourt attended the royal court of King John and witnessed a number of
documents.[6] It
seems that William de Harcourt stayed with King John in the civil war between
King John and the Barons. In the 1220s William de Harcourt collected some debts
relating to Ireland from the time of King John.[7]

Bosworth
church

The Earls of Leicester
and later the Earls of Winchester and their heirs were the overlords of
Bosworth but the advowson of Bosworth church had a different ownership. It
seems that in 1086 Hugh de Grandmesnil held the advowson and later was held by
Ivo de Grandmesnil but in 1102 he was sent into exile by King Henry. Before
1156-7 Bertram de Verdun granted the church and two hides at Bosworth to St.
Mary’s Abbey in York and this was confirmed by King Henry II.[8]
The church was dedicated to St. Peter.[9]

A list of the medieval
rectors of Bosworth include William de Verdun (1221), Ralph de Bosworth (1223),
Johannes de Passenham (1264), Thomas de Sandiacre (1275), Robert de Sancto
Ivone (1275), Bertram de Verdun (1307/8), Wollaston (resigned 1403), Henry de
Ferrariis (1403), Thomas Thryke (1407/8), William Kynwolmerset (1419-1446), Thomas Hayward (1446), William Inee 26 April (1458)
and Robert Moine (1482/3).[10]

Bosworth church

In 1240-41 William, the
parson of Market Bosworth in Leicestershire paid the king one mark to remove a
plea from the county court of Leicestershire.[11]
In the fourteenth century the advowson of Bosworth was held by the de Verdun
family. In October 1317 Theobald de Verdun died seized of the advowson of the
churches at Bosworth, Neubold, Skeftington, Lutturworth and Cotesbach in
Leicestershire.[12]

On 1st
December 1334 Edward III appointed William de Kildesby to the church of
Bosworth, in the diocese of Lincoln, in the king's gift because the advowson
was taken into the hands of Edward II., on the death of Theobald de Verdun,
tenant in chief, by reason of the minority of his heirs, and was still in the
king's hands.[13]
An inquisition post mortem in 1336 showed that the advowson of Bosworth was
divided into four equal shares between the daughters of Theobald de Verdun.
These daughters were Isabel and her husband Henry de Ferrariis (they had the
first presentation to the church); Elizabeth and her husband Bartholomew de
Burgherssh (they had right of second presentation); Joan and her husband Thomas
de Fournyvall (third presentation); and Margery and her husband Mark Husee
(fourth presentation).[14]

On 20th
September 1356 Margery, wife of the late William le Blount, received a royal
pardon for granting property to her son, John le Blount and he re-granted back
to her without obtaining a royal licence. The property concerned included a
fourth share of the advowson of Bosworth. John de Crophill, the new husband of
Margery, agreed to pay the king £20 to settle the fine. In the same month
Margery got a licence to enfeoff Ralph de Crophill, parson of Cotingham, of the
estate.[15]

At an inquisition post
mortem taken at Bosworth on Saturday after the feast of St. Michael 1370 it was
found that the advowson of Bosworth was divided among four heirs. These heirs
were the four daughters of Theobald de Verdun and they presented a rector at
every fourth turn. The heirs were Elizabeth and her husband Bartholomew de
Burgherssh; Joan and her husband Thomas de Furnivall; Margery and her husband
William le Blount and Isabel and her husband Henry de Ferrariis.[16]

On 11th June
1370 the king presented William de Sleford to the church of Bosworth, because
the estate of Bartholomew de Burgherssh, deceased, was in the king’s hand.[17]
In 1376 Sir Edward le Despenser, according to his inquisition post mortem taken
at Bosworth, held a quarter share of the advowson of Market Bosworth and had
the next right of presentation.[18]

On 3rd
February 1436 Agnes Merbury, wife of John Merbury, esquire, died and was seized
of property in a number of counties with her husband. In Leicestershire she
jointly held the manors of Cotesbach, Newbold Verdun and Braunstone and among
other advowsons she held a quarter part of the advowson of Market Bosworth
which was worth nothing above prayers but taxed at £20 yearly.[19]

John Merbury, esquire,
died on 31st January 1438 leaving his daughter Elizabeth, wife of
Walter Devereux as his heir. The jury in Leicester on 15th March
1438 found that John Merbury held the manors of Cotesbach, Newbold Verdun, and
Branston along with the advowson of the churches at these manors and also the
churches at Grace Dieu and Market Bosworth. John Merbury held a quarter share
of the advowson at Market Bosworth as divided from the De Verdun inheritance.
The advowson was worth nothing above prayers but was taxed at £20 yearly.[20]

In May 1446 William
Kynwolmersshe, parson of Bosworth, was declared an outlaw by the king for not
appearing before the king’s court to answer a charge of a debt of £40 due to
the abbot of the monastery of Blessed Mary in York.[21]

Bosworth
after 1258

On 2nd April 1258 a writ was issued
to the sheriff of Leicester to hold an inquisition post mortem into the estate
of the late Richard de Harcourt. The subsequent undated inquisition found that
Richard de Harcourt held £16 of land at Stretton from the king in chief by the
service of a quarter of a knight’s fee; £50 of land at Bosworth from the Earl
of Winchester by the service of one knight’s fee along with £30 of land at
Ayleston and £10 at Borisworth from the same Earl by one knight’s fee in each
case. Richard de Harcourt also held land at Kybworth, Neuton, Sheyngton and
Morton from the Earl of Warwick with other property at Branteston from William
Burdeyt and at Shepe from Richard de Caumill. Richard de Harcourt also had land
at an unidentified place in Oxfordshire (possibly Stanton Harcourt) and the
manor of Elinhale (from the Bishop of Lichfield) and Rontton township (from the
Baron of Stafford) in Staffordshire. Richard de Harcourt was succeeded by his
son, Sir William de Harcourt, who was aged over 30 years at the time of his
father’s death.[22]

In about 1266 some men
assaulted and killed some of the men of Hamo Lestrange at Leicester, Killeworth
and Bosworth. Giles de Erdinton was to work with the sheriff of Leicestershire
to arrest the men involved.[23]

In the various
inquisitions post mortem held following the death of Roger de Quency, Earl of
Winchester in 1271 it was found that William de Harcourt held Bosworth, Seynton
and Ayliston from the Earl by the service of two knight’s fees.[24] In
May 1285 William de Harcourt received a royal grant to hold a market in
Bosworth every Wednesday and from that time the place became known as Market
Bosworth. He was also granted a three day fair on the feast of St. Peter and
Paul. The local parish church was dedicated to St. Peter and often the local
fair was held on the same day.[25]

On 1st March
1293 a writ was issued to hold an inquisition post mortem of the estate of
Richard de Harcourt. On Wednesday the feast of the Annunciation 1293 an
inquisition post mortem of the estate in Leicestershire was taken. It found
that Richard de Harcourt held the manor of Bosworth including two parks and a
market. Richard de Harcourt also received rents from the manor in the form of
2½lb of pepper, 2 pairs of gloves, a root of ginger, a clove gillyflower, 3
arrows without feathers, 8 horse shoes, 10 hens, a cock and a rose beside the
usual money rents from the tenants. Richard de Harcourt held Bosworth from John
Comin, Earl of Buchan and lord of Wyteworth in Leicestershire, one of the heirs
of the Earl of Winchester.

The inquisition also
found that about six months before he died Richard de Harcourt enfeoffed his
son Henry de Harcourt and Eleanor his wife of £24 of yearly rent out of
Bosworth. Despite this gift John de Harcourt (aged 18 years), the eldest son of
Richard de Harcourt was acknowledged as his heir.[26]

Apart from Bosworth
Richard de Harcourt also held property at Schepeye, Stretton, Kynclingworth and
Guldene Morton in Leicestershire; Elenhal and Ronton in Staffordshire;
Baxterleg, Wolvey, Wyebrook, Wormclacton and Baddesleg in Warwickshire and the
manor of Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire. Richard de Harcourt held the latter
place of the king in chief by the service of one knight’s fee and moving,
lifting, carrying and stacking a meadow in the king’s park of Woodstock (now
location of Blenheim Palace).[27]

On 21st April 1293 Joan, the wife
of the late Richard de Harcourt was assigned a third part of the manors of
Bosworth, Stanton Harcourt and Elenhal as her dower lands.[28]

Bosworth
in the fourteenth century

On 5th May
1302 a royal pardon was given to Robert Billing of Bosworth, by reason of his
service in Scotland, for the death of William le Westerton of Shakreston, and
his consequent outlawry. On 23rd August 1304 King Edward granted a
pardon to Thomas son of Simon de Lutgate for the death of William Killebole of
Bosworth. On 16th October 1306 a pardon was given to Richard le
Warde of Ibestok, in Warrewick for the death of Stephen son of Thomas Flour of
Bosworth, as it appears he killed him in self-defence.[29]

In 1308 Bertram de
Verdun, son of Theobald de Verdun senior, was rector of Lutterworth and
Bosworth.[30]
In 1310 Theobald de Verdun senior died seized of the manor and advowson of
Cotesbach in Leicestershire along with the manor and advowson of Newbold and
the advowson of Bosworth. Theobald de Verdun junior, then aged 28 years,
succeeded his father.[31]

On 20th
November 1313 a commission of oyer and terminer was given to John Chaynel and
John de Harington, on complaint by Robert Gentyl of Carleton, the elder, one of
the conservators of the peace for Leicestershire. Robert Gentyl alleged that
John de Harcourt of Bosworth and Henry Harcourt his brother, along with John
Conge of Staunton, Henry le Bedel of Staunton, John le Parker, William Gile of
Bosworth, Adam son of William de Carleton, and Richard Bulle of Bosworth, and
many others, endeavoured to impede Robert Gentil in the exercise of his office.
It was said that they assaulted him at Bosworth while he was proceeding to make
inquisition touching malefactors and disturbers of the peace. Robert Gentil was
beaten, wounded and robbed of 100s. In fear of his life Robert Gentil was
besieged in a house for an unknown time.[32]

This incident was not
the only trouble suffered by the Gentil family from the people pf Bosworth. In
1317 Bertraye, wife of the late Robert Gcntil, alleged that William Gentil, Gilbert
Oullebole, Robert Macorneys, John Ballc, William Hulkok, Thomas Bagworth,
William son of Robert, Robert Fox, and Thomas Hichebon of Carleton by Bosworth,
with others, carried away her goods at Carleton by Bosworth, co. Leicester. On
28th July 1317 John Chaynel, John de Bromfcld, and Robert de Stokes
were commissioned to investigate the incident.[33]

In 1318 William de
Walton alleged that Walter Lomb of Bosworth along with Simon le Bakester of
Boseworth, Peter Persone, William do Wales, Thomas Pegg', John Pegg', Richard
de Cotene, Elias le Personesinan, and Nicholas de Harcourt, parson of the
church of Shepeye, assaulted him at Bosworth. On 12th July 1318 Richard
de Willoughby, William de Stafford and Hugh de Prostwold were commission to
investigate the assault. On 16th August 1318 a number of other
people were charged with the assault including William le Bakester, William
Ward, William le Parker, Simon son of William le Bakester, Geoffrey de Morton,
William son of Geoffrey Percy, John son of Margery, Simon Hopper, Geoffrey
Aubry and William Charn.[34]

In 1314 John de
Harcourt accompanied William de Monte Acuto in the English invasion of Scotland
which culminated in the disastrous defeat of the English at Bannockburn.[35] In
October 1317 Theobald de Verdun died seized of the advowson of the churches at
Bosworth, Neubold, Skeftington, Lutturworth and Cotesbach in Leicestershire.[36]

In 1331 John de
Harcourt, lord of Bosworth, died and was succeeded by his son, William de
Harcourt, then aged 30 years. The subsequent inquisitions post mortem found
John de Harcourt held the manor of Bosworth of the king because the original
overlord, Henry de Bello Monte had his estates forfeited to the crown. John de
Harcourt held Bosworth by the service of one knight’s fee and a pair of gilt
spurs (worth 6d) or 6d paid yearly at Christmas.

Other property in
Leicestershire included Nailiston (£16 13s 4d rent and a windmill and meadow)
held of Philip de Columberes; along with Cotes by Morton and Stretton held of
Henry de Ferraris. Ellenhall in Staffordshire held of the Bishop of Chester and
Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire held of the king. But shortly after John’s
death Queen Isabella sent in her bailiffs to seize Stanton Harcourt on the
pretext that it was held of her manor of Woodstock. This was a clever error of
the Queen’s part as Harcourt was obliged to do farm work at Woodstock for
having Stanton Harcourt, the manor itself was held of the king as other
inquisitions post mortem show.

Meanwhile in the
inquisition relating to Bosworth showed a number of charges made by John de
Harcourt upon the manor. Master Robert de Ayliston was to receive £10 of yearly
rent and two robes of fur worth £10. Richard de Harcourt was to get another £10
of yearly rent while Henry de Harcourt was to get £16 of yearly rent (Henry
already was receiving £24 out of Bosworth in yearly rent since about 1293).
William de Charneles was to get 30s of rent and a robe worth 20s while Simon le
Hopper of Bosworth was to get 100s of yearly rent and a robe worth 20s along
with fitting sustenance for himself, his groom and his horse for life.[37] These
charges amounted to over £54 along with all the other expenses at running a
medieval estate and previous charges made upon it as in 1293. We don’t have an
income and expenditure account to see if the manor of Bosworth could pay all
these charges or if borrowed money was needed. In 1258 the value of Bosworth
was only £50.[38]

During 1331 Nicholas de
Harcourt, parson of the church of Shepeye, granted the manor of Bosworth to
William son of John de Harcourt and Joan de Harcourt, his wife and the heirs
male of their bodies.[39]

On 18th
March 1332 a pardon was granted to John son of Roger de Bosworth for the death
of Geoffrey Richard at Bosworth, because it was said to be in self-defence.
Richard de Egebaston and Robert de Gaddesby, justices appointed to deliver
Leicester gaol were to release John son of Roger. After his release John son of
Roger returned to his community but didn’t stay out of trouble. In July 1334 he
alleged that Roger Uccor of Bosworth, Thomas and John his sons, along with others
assaulted him at Bosworth and carried away his goods.[40]

On Palm Sunday 1334
John de Longe was killed at Bosworth and John de Stapleton was charged with the
murder. But when the itinerant justices next visited the area they acquitted
John de Stapleton. Twenty one years later John de Stapleton, then aged 46 years
and more, gave his story to help William son of Henry de Ferraris to prove his
aged.[41]

A few years later other
murderers at Bosworth received pardons for their crimes. In October 1339 William
Richer, of Konestone, received a pardon for the death of John Nichol of
Osberston near Bosworth and in the same month Richard le Keu of Bosworth, also
got a pardon, this time for the death of Richard Hopper and William de
Chaucombe. Richard received the pardon as a reward for his good service to the
king overseas.[42]

On 14th
March 1340 the inquisition post mortem of Henry de Bello Monte, Earl of Buchan,
was taken and it found among other things that the Earl held two knight’s fees
at Bosworth, Carleton, Cotes, Ayleston and Little Glen in Leicestershire.[43]

In February 1344 Roger
de Belgrave gave 2s of rent in Bosworth to the abbey of Suleby as part of 30s
granted to the abbey by John and Peter de Belgrave, parsons of Belgrave and
Esthaddon, respectively.[44]

In April 1345 a
commission of oyer and terminer was issued following the complaint of Sir
William Motoun that John 'the parson' of Nayleston, Henry 'the parson’s
brother, Henry son of Roger de Drayton of Nayleston, William Prat of Bosworth,
Richard Prat of Bosworth and many others carried away his goods at Bosworth,
and assaulted his men and servants there whereby he lost their service for a
great time. Also in 1345 Robert Kyvyot received a pardon for the death of
William Smyth of Bosworth. In January 1347 William le Ferrour of Welleforth,
for the death of William Sumnoure of Bosworth, killed before 17th
November and for all other felonies committed before that date. William le
Ferrour got the pardon on the recommendation of Henry, Duke of Lancaster because
of William’s service in the army in Gascony.[45]

Before June 1367 a
person called William le Ferrour of Bosworth was outlawed by the justices in
Staffordshire for non-appearance on charges of false accounting by the parson
of Bosworth, Master Richard le Boule. William le Ferrour worked as receiver for
the parson. On 1st June 1367 the master of the Fleet prison
certified that William had surrendered himself and was in custody. By 28th
June 1367 John Colart of Culworth, John le Bailly of Culworth, Richard del
Grene and Henry Marchal had also surrendered themselves to the Fleet prison on
the same charges as outlaws with William le Ferrour.[46]

Bosworth
after the Black Death

On 6th June
1349 William de Harcourt of Bosworth died leaving his son Richard de Harcourt
(aged 21 years) as heir. The inquisition post mortem at Bosworth held on 20th
August 1349 said that William Harcourt and his wife Joan received Bosworth by
gift of Nicholas de Harcourt. William de Harcourt held Bosworth from John de
Bello Monte by a knight’s fee. The inquisition at William’s manor of Stanton
Harcourt in Oxfordshire showed the signs of the Black Death where it said that
William held “several fishery and lands of bondmen and cottars who used to
render £30 yearly but they are dead through the pestilence and their lands lie
untilled”.[47]

In February 1361 Thomas
Grogman of Leycestre, received a pardon for the death of John Amy of Bosworth
as a reward for serving in France under the Edward, the Black Prince.[48]

On the Friday after the
feast of St. Barnabas in 1364 an inquisition post mortem was held at Bosworth
into the estate of the late Sir Hugh de Meignyll. Many other inquisitions post
mortem were held at Bosworth which concerned other families than the Harcourt
family like Sir Hugh de Meignyll. Thomas Wychard had his inquisition at
Bosworth on 20th November 1354, William de Clinton had an
inquisition on 20th September 1355 and Roger Hillary had his
inquisition there on 6th July 1357.[49]

In 1368 John Wychard of
Osberston of the king's suit received a pardon for the death of John Haxsmal of
Bosworth, and for any sentence of outlawry he may have suffered.[50]

Bosworth market place

On 22nd July
1370 Joan, wife of the late William de Harcourt died at Elenhal in
Staffordshire. Her heir general was Elizabeth (aged 22 years), wife of Thomas
son of Thomas de Asteleye and daughter of Richard de Harcourt, the eldest son
of Joan and William de Harcourt. But the heir to Bosworth was Thomas de
Harcourt (aged 28 years), second son of Joan and William de Harcourt by virtue
of a gift made in the lifetime of Joan and William.[51]

Sometime after the
death of her first husband, William de Harcourt, Joan married Ralph de Ferrers
and outlived her second husband. After Joan’s death William Catesby, late
escheator of Leicester, took possession of Bosworth and levied the issues for
the king’s use. This was done until Edward III delivered Bosworth to Thomas de
Harcourt, son of William and Joan. But during the period of royal control
Thomas son of Sir Thomas de Astleye and Elizabeth his wife presented Philip de
Drayton to control Bosworth. It seems that Philip de Drayton vacated Bosworth
without too much hassle.[52]

At the inquisition post
mortem of Sir Henry de Bello Monte, made at Leicester on the Thursday after the
feast of St. Vincent 1371 it was found that Thomas de Harcourt held two
knight’s fees at Bosworth, Carleton, Cotoun, Aylleston and Parva Glen from
Henry de Bello Monte.[53]

In 1375 Thomas de
Harcourt, lord of Bosworth, witnessed the agreement between Ralph Basset of
Drayton, the founder and rector of Mancetter for the exemption of the new house
of Austin Friars at Atherstone from the payment of tithes subject to paying 20s
per year.[54]

In the strange world of
medieval justice at Bosworth and elsewhere, a horse thief was made an outlaw
and a murderer got a pardon. In May 1386 William, son of John Colyne of
Bosworth, was made an outlaw for the theft of a horse, valued at 13s Id, and
for being a common horse-thief. In May 1389 at the supplication of Lord
Beaumont, William Hering of Tamworth in Warwickshire received a pardon for the
death of John atte Well of Bosworth on Monday of Easter week 1388.[55]

In October 1395 Ralph
Hurleman of Bosworth, wool merchant, was pardoned of all contempt’s, trespasses,
frauds, deceits and unjust and excessive weighing’s and purchases of wools
contrary to statute along with many other people across the country.[56]

Bosworth
in the fifteenth century

In October 1401 William
de Eepyngton, was parson of the church of Bosworth, in the diocese of Lincoln,
when he was presented by King Henry IV to the church of Bonyngton, in the diocese
of York, in an exchange of benefices with William Caton.[57]

In October 1402 John de
Brigeford and Nicholas Harewood, clerks of the king's stable, were cleared of
paying the king £20 for the escape from Leicester jail of William Adam of
Foxton, Robert Bocher of Bosworth, Roger Hichecok of Twyibrd, John del Grene
and John Pery, chaplain, known felons.[58]

On 26th May
1404 and again on 1st July 1404 a royal grant was made to the king’s
servants, Richard Kerrour, William Malberthorpe and Paul Ferrour to have £20 of
the goods of the late John Freman of Bosworth, Leicestershire, which were
forfeited to the king because John Freman killed John Milnere of Marston in the
fields of Northkilworth, Leicestershire. In February 1405 John Freman was
granted a royal pardon for the killing.[59]

On 6th July
1420 Sir Thomas Harcourt of Bosworth died to be succeeded by his ten year old
son Robert Harcourt. The various inquisitions post mortem held into the estate
of Thomas Harcourt found him seized of property at Ellenhall in Staffordshire,
Stanton Harcourt in Oxfordshire and Market Bosworth, North Kilworth, Little
Stretton in Leicestershire. Thomas Harcourt held the manor of Bosworth, except
two parks, jointly with his wife Joan and they had the manor from John, Lord
Beaumont by an unknown service. At Bosworth in 1420 there was among other buildings
two mills and a common bake-house.[60]

In October 1420 an
order was sent to the escheator of Leicestershire to remove the king’s hand
from meddling in the manor of Bosworth except for the two parks attached to the
manor.[61]

In November 1449 William
Browning, gentleman (so called), late of Bosworth in Leicestershire and late of
Devonshire and late of Wyghtham in Oxfordshire, and late of Fifhyde, Oxfordshire,
was declared an outlaw for not appearing before the king’s clerk to answer
Robert Pyryton, parson of the church of St. Leonard, London, along with John
Byrkhede and Thomas Ballard, executors of the will of Henry Penwortham, touching
a debt of £40.[62]
After William Browning moving around that much I’d be surprise if the executors
ever saw even a part of that debt repaid.

On 26th
April 1450 John Male was granted a royal pardon for his indictment in the
assault upon Humphrey Stafford and Richard Stafford at Coventry Fair where
Humphrey Stafford was beaten and Richard Stafford and William Sherpe were
killed. The attacked was made on the Wednesday before Corpus Christi 1448 by
the servants of Sir Robert Harcourt of Staunton Harcourt in Oxfordshire under
the direction of Joan Harcourt (widow) of Bosworth.[63]
The feud with the Staffords of Grafton was a long running story. After the
murder Sir Robert de Harcourt was outlawed.

In revenge for the
killing Sir Humphrey Stafford came at night on 1st May 1450 with men
to attack the manor house at Stanton Harcourt. Sir Robert de Harcourt and his
household were driven into the local church which was set on fire while the
manor house was ransacked. Sir Robert de Harcourt survived the church fire and
was pardoned in 1451.[64]

In 1461 Sir Robert de
Harcourt succeeded his father, Sir Thomas de Harcourt as lord of Stanton
Harcourt, Ellenhall, Grandborough and Bosworth. Before becoming lord of
Bosworth, Sir Robert de Harcourt served on various commissions of the peace in
counties Oxfordshire and Berkshire. In 1444 he served as sheriff of
Warwickshire and Leicestershire and in 1455 was sheriff of Oxfordshire and
Berkshire. Sir Robert de Harcourt also served as a M.P. for Oxfordshire and
Berkshire. In 1462 or 1463 Sir Robert de Harcourt was made a Knight of the
Garter, one of the highest orders of chivalry. In 1466 he was steward of Oxford
University and in 1467 he was an envoy to negotiate the peace treaty with
France. In 1470, during the brief Lancastrian recovery, the Staffords again attacked
Sir Robert de Harcourt and on 14th November 1470 Sir Robert was
killed in a skirmish.[65]

The local feud between
Harcourt and Stafford families joined into the national feud between the royal
houses of York and Lancaster, otherwise known as the War of the Roses. In that
war many more people were killed across the country culminating in the great
battle of Bosworth Field where King Richard III lost the crown and his life and
where Henry Tudor gained a kingdom. On 30th April 1495 the clergy in
the deanery of Sparkenhoe were to meet in Bosworth church for a visitation.[66] It
is quite possible that some locals attending the visitation told the visitor’s
stories of the battle fought ten years before.

Many people are aware
of the Bosworth story of 1485. This article hopes to show a different side to
Bosworth where a medieval family held a manor by knight’s service; where murder
and birth came and went; and where life carried on through it all.

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The medieval world seems so far away yet much of what we see and do today comes from that distant world. This blog will feature articles on the medieval world in Ireland and Britain - the Celtic 2 Realms - Hope you enjoy and have fun with all things medieval.